The Mesmerizing Twilight Avian Ritual of Parrot Island
Resting like an isolated emerald crown in the calm estuarine waters approximately thirty kilometres west of Baratang's primary settlement, Parrot Island is the stage for one of the most astonishing, poetic, and acoustically captivating wildlife phenomena in the Bay of Bengal. Uninhabited by humans, this pristine mangrove islet measures roughly half a square kilometre, covered in dense, mature stands of red and black mangrove trees.
Every evening, precisely as the setting sun begins to dip below the western horizon, the island becomes the focal point of a massive avian pilgrimage. Thousands of wild parakeets—primarily red-breasted parakeets (*Psittacula alexandri*) and Alexandrine parakeets (*Psittacula eupatria*)—converge upon the island from all corners of the Middle and South Andaman forests, returning to their communal roosting sanctuary in a synchronized biological spectacle.
Because the parakeet flight occurs strictly between 5:15 PM and 5:45 PM during twilight, and the Andaman Trunk Road police convoy closes before dusk, visiting Parrot Island REQUIRES an overnight stay on Baratang Island (at the Forest Rest House, APWD Guesthouse, or private eco-resorts like Dew Dale). Motorized fiber boats depart Nilambur Jetty around 4:15 PM (₹1,500–₹2,000 per boat for a 4-hour charter).
The Flight Spectacle, Murmurations, and Mangrove Pruning
The drama begins around 5:00 PM with the arrival of small scout flocks flying high above the water. Within fifteen minutes, the sky fills with immense waves of emerald-green birds sweeping in from the horizon. The parakeets perform breathtaking aerial murmurations, swooping, banking, and circling the mangrove canopy in tightly coordinated formations while filling the evening air with a deafening, exhilarating chorus of screeching and whistling calls.
What fascinates ornithologists is the birds' remarkable ritual of 'canopy pruning.' Before settling in for the night, the parakeets systematically bite off and discard small outer twigs and leaves with their powerful hooked beaks. Over decades, this collective behavior has sculpted the mangrove crowns into perfectly rounded, dense domes. As darkness falls, the thousands of birds vanish into the thick foliage, their clamor suddenly dropping into absolute silence as night claims the creek.
The Scenic Sunset Boat Cruise Through Estuarine Channels
The journey to Parrot Island is an unforgettable eco-cruise. Departing from Nilambur Jetty around 4:15 PM in authorized fiberglass boats, visitors cruise through wide saltwater channels where the glassy water mirrors the incandescent colors of the sunset sky. The boat passes remote fishing hamlets, solitary mangrove clusters, and quiet mudflats where coastal birds forage.
As the boat approaches the vicinity of Parrot Island, the skipper cuts the engines, allowing the craft to drift peacefully on the calm water fifty metres off the mangrove fringe. The cooling evening breeze, the scent of the sea, and the glowing amber-gold reflections across the water create an atmosphere of profound tranquility as you await the arrival of the birds.
Parrot Island is a strictly protected wildlife roosting reserve. Stepping foot onto the island is completely prohibited; boats must remain idled at a respectful distance of 30 to 50 metres offshore. Visitors must avoid shouting, shining flashlight beams into roosting trees, or using flash photography, which disorients and panics the birds.
Photography Advice, Essential Gear, and Respectful Viewing
Capturing the parakeet flight requires proper photographic preparation. Because the birds fly at high speeds in low-light conditions, photographers should bring telephoto lenses (300mm or greater) with wide apertures (f/2.8 or f/4) and increase camera ISO settings. High shutter speeds are necessary to freeze the motion of incoming flocks against the sunset sky.
Visitors must adhere strictly to responsible wildlife viewing ethics. Flash photography is strictly forbidden as it disorients the birds in the dark. Keep conversations to a whisper, wear muted, dark clothing that blends into the boat, and avoid sudden movements. The best season to witness the parakeet flight is between October and May, when cloudless evening skies and calm waters provide ideal conditions for this extraordinary natural ritual.
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